Former striker of Samara Krasil Sovetov and Russian youth team Evgeny Savin was sentenced in absentia for allegedly discrediting the Russian army, according to RIA News. The case centers on claims that Savin publicly undermined the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, triggering legal scrutiny under Article 280.3, Part 1 of the Criminal Code. The Ministry of Internal Affairs added him to the wanted list on February 14.
Savin previously shared a video on his YouTube channel featuring Ukrainian football players. In that clip, Andrei Yarmolenko, Dario Srna, Andrei Voronin, Vitaly Mikolenko, and Alexander Alekseev discussed their perspectives on Russia’s special operation. Following the release, Savin faced consequences as his club Krasava was prohibited from training in Krasnogorsk, prompting his decision to depart from Russian territory.
He relocated to Cyprus and joined the second division of the local championship with a club bearing the same name, continuing to court attention on political matters. Even then, authorities accused him of public actions aimed at discrediting the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, under Part 1, Article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses. It was later disclosed that a court fined Savin fifty thousand rubles.
In a separate evaluation, a coach associated with Real Madrid faced potential imprisonment of up to five years for tax evasion. This juxtaposition of cases underscores ongoing debates about legality, accountability, and the consequences that public statements can trigger for sports figures across borders. [RIA News] [citation]